Desktop organizer

ABSTRACT

A rotatable desktop organizer for holding a plurality of writing instruments and desk items such as paperclips. The desktop organizer has a platform having a plurality of concentric receptacles along the circumference of the top platform surface for securely holding, in each of the receptacle, a single writing instrument in a substantially upright position, a hollow column with an open top protruding upward from the center of the platform for storing desk items therein, a flat base rotatably connected to the bottom of the platform to allow, by rotating the platform, easier access to a particular writing instrument selected, and a removable plug for inserting into the column which has a magnet at its distal end for thereby picking up metallic items stored in the column. The desktop organizer may further have advertising material disposed on the side surface of either the column or the platform.

The present invention relates to field of an aesthetically designed,rotatable desktop organizer that can hold a plurality of wringinstruments, each held in a separate receptacle, and retain metaldesktop articles such as paperclips which can be conveniently picked upfor use by a magnet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

(Not Applicable)

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

(Not Applicable)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Desktop organizers are widely used for organizing various kinds ofdesktop items such as writing instruments, paper clips, staples, flag orroll tapes, note pads, erasers, alarmers, clocks, or even graphicimages. What users of such desktop organizers consider in making apurchase decision is not merely the variety in kinds or number ofdesktop items that can be held in an organizer or the utility aspectrelating how conveniently and efficiently an individual desktop item canbe accessed and removed from the organizer. Often they consider theaesthetics, freshness, attractiveness, or compactness of the overalldesign since such a desktop organizer also may serve as an importantportion of office decoration.

Among others, several kinds of desktop organizers that can hold both oneor plurality of pens and paperclips, most frequently used desk items,have been disclosed in the art, each of which has one or moreshortcomings. U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,101 discloses an organizer having acircular base and a hollow circular tower with an open top protrudingupward therefrom, where writing instruments such as painting brushes maybe either retained in the tower or gripped, respectively, by a springmechanism formed around the top of the tower, and desk items such aspaperclips can be retained in a tray on the base. The drawbacks of thisinvention, however, are that the paperclips, being exposed on the tray,may pick up dirt and be lost, and further, that disengaging each writinginstrument off the grip of the spring mechanism may require exertion ofconsiderable force, and in so doing, cause scratches on the body of thewriting instruments inflicted from the spring. U.S. Design Pat. No.D504,157 discloses a pen holder and paperclip container combinationwhere paperclips can be removed, being attached to a magnet on thecontainer plug. The invention, however, appears to hold only a singlepen.

Also, magnetic paperclip dispensers have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,783,033 in which paperclips are retained in a spherical barrel, beingattached to a magnet near its opening for easy access and removal, andin U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,209 in which paperclips, retained in a container,can be removed off from a magnetic stem sliding through the containervia a top and a bottom holes defined thereon. These inventions, however,fail to disclose a capacity of holding any writing instrument.

In light of limitations and shortcomings of prior art, it is desirableto provide a desktop organizer that has plurality of receptacles each ofwhich can hold only a single writing instrument for easier and quickeraccess to a particular kind of writing instrument selected out ofpotentially several different kinds, and for easier removal thereof. Itis also desirable to provide a mechanism in such a pen-holding organizerthat can facilitate the access and removal of each selected writinginstrument by, for instance, rotating the organizer. It is yet desirableto combine such a pen-holding organizer with a container that storescommon metal desk items such as paperclips, hiding them from view whennot in use for aesthetics and protection against dirt. It is furtherdesirable to provide, in such a desk organizer, a mechanism that canfacilitate easy removal of metal desk items, such as a magneticdispensing mechanism. Lastly, it would be further desirable if suchdesktop organizer can provide a surface of considerable size to placeadvertising materials thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a rotatable desktop organizer that canhold a plurality of writing instruments, each one in a separatereceptacle, and store common desk items made of metal, such aspaperclips, that can be conveniently removed, one by one, via a magnet.

The desktop organizer made in accordance with the present invention islargely comprised of: in the preferred embodiment, a platform having aplurality of receptacles defined along the circumference of the topsurface of the platform for securely holding, in each of the receptacle,a single writing instrument in a substantially upright position; ahollow cylindrical column with an open end disposed perpendicularlyupwardly at the center of the platform top surface for storing deskitems therein; a flat base on which the platform is pivotally mounted sothat a particular pen-holding receptacle is easily accessible byrotating the platform thereon; and a plug for removably closing the openend of the column, which has a magnet formed on the bottom thereof forpicking up metal desk items on the bottom of the column.

The desktop organizer may also have advertising material or indiciaimprinted on the round outer surface of the cylindrical column or on theside surface of the platform.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that, while having thecapacity of retaining several writing instruments, since each writinginstrument is retained in a separate receptacle defined on the platform,it is easy to single out and access a particular kind of writinginstrument in contrast to other common types of pen-holding containerswhere multiple writing instruments are mixed to make it cumbersome tospot and select a particular desired one.

Another advantage of the present invention is that each selected writinginstrument can be easily and conveniently removed form the receptacle byrotating the platform on the base.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that metal desk itemssuch as paperclips can be easily picked up one by one when needed, usingthe magnet formed on an end of the plug closing the desk-item container.

Still another advantage of the present invention is that while retainingall the above-described utilities, the desktop organizer has a uniquecompact and aesthetic appearance that would suit the aesthetic need of auser as well in an office environment.

Lastly, the desktop organizer in the present invention has a furtheradvantage that it can be used as an effective vehicle for advertisementby providing rather ample surfaces, the outer surface of the centralcolumn or the side walls of the platform, for placing advertisingmaterials thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the desktop organizer made in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention with writing instrumentsheld in the exemplary way;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the desktop organizer made in the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the desktop organizer made in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention, showing paperclipsattached to the removable magnetic plug;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the desktop organizer made in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention with writing instrumentsheld in the exemplary way;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view, in the perspective, of the desktop organizermade in the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the desktop organizer made in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the desktop organizer made in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a rotatable desktop organizerthat can hold a plurality of writing instruments, each one in a separatereceptacle, and store common desk items made of metal, such aspaperclips, that can be conveniently removed, one by one, via a magnet.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be describedwith reference to FIGS. (‘FIGS.’) 1-7, wherein like components aredesignated by like reference numerals throughout the figures. Withregard to means for fastening, mounting, attaching or connecting thecomponents of the present invention to form the assembly as a whole,unless specifically described otherwise, such means are intended to atleast encompass conventional fasteners such as machine screws, machinethreads, snap rings, hose clamps, rivets, nuts and bolts, toggles, pinsand the like. Components may also be connected by friction fitting, snapfitting, adhesives or by welding or deformation, if appropriate. Unlessspecifically otherwise disclosed or taught, materials for makingcomponents of the present invention are selected from appropriatematerials such as metal, ceramics, metallic alloys, natural or syntheticfibers, plastics and the like, and appropriate manufacturing orproduction methods including casting, extruding, injection molding andmachines may be used.

Although the present invention is generally described in terms of thepreferred embodiments, it should be understood that it is shown anddescribed, only by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated incarrying out the invention, but not intended to limit in any way thespirit and scope of the invention to the particular embodimentsdescribed.

Now referring to FIGS. 1-7, the desktop organizer 10 made in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention comprises largely aplatform 20, a hollow column 30, a plug 40, and a base 50. The platform20 has a substantially cylindrical shape having a flat circular topsurface 20 a, an opposing identically sized bottom surface 20 b, a roundcircumferential side surface 20 c extended therebetween, and a hollowinterior surrounded thereby. The platform, however, may have othergeometrical shapes where the flat top and bottom surfaces have the shapeof squares, rectangles, or other polygons and the side surface iscorrespondingly angled. The top surface 20 a defines a circular aperture21 at the center thereof extending into the interior of the platform 20in which the hollow column 30 is to be removably inserted. While theaperture 21 is preferably circular, it may be formed having a othergeometric shapes according to design and style preferences. Further, thetop surface 20 a defines a plurality of concentric circular apertures 22around the circumferential edges of the top surface 20 a, which are,preferably, equally spaced from one another. Each aperture 22 isconnected into the interior of the platform 20 and sized, preferably, toretain only a single writing instrument of a standard size therein in asubstantially upright orientation, as shown in FIG. 4, so as to form asingle pen-holding receptacle 22. As described herein, the termreceptacle refers to the implement-holding portion of the platform 20which is defined by the apertures. In this respect, the receptacle 22may be formed without an aperture according to design choice. The typesof standard sized writing instruments include, but are not limited to,pens, pencils, highlighters, pen-shaped erasers or PDA stylusimplements, laser pointers, or painting brushes. For easier and quickerremoval of a writing instrument from the receptacle 22, the depth ofeach receptacle 22 or the height of the platform 20 is chosen, in thepreferred embodiment, such that at least half of the body of a standardsized writing instrument is exposed out of the receptacle. Also, Formore secure retention of a writing instrument and for protection of itssurface against potential scratches from the edge of a receptacle duringits removal therefrom, a leaf 22 a made of smooth fabrics and having across-shaped slit at its center may be formed around the opening of eachreceptacle 22, whereby a writing instrument, inserted into the centralslit, may be frictionally retained against the surrounding leaf 22 a.Prefereably, the leaf 22 a may be fabricated from a foam material or arubber material that allows for frictional engagement to implements.

Moreover, in order to facilitate easy access and removal of a particularwriting instrument selected, it is desirable that the platform 20 isfreely rotatable. This is achieved in the preferred embodiment byconnecting a thin flat base 50 under the bottom surface 20 b of theplatform 20 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, wherein the platform 20 and thebase 50 are pivotally connected at their centers so that the platform 20may freely rotate on the base 50. The method and means for such pivotalconnection are well known to those skilled in the art and not describedherein further.

Now referring to FIG. 5, the hollow column 30 is used in the presentinvention for containing various desk items such as paperclips thereinand has an open upper end 30 a and closed lower end 30 b. It is sized toremovably fit into the circular aperture 21 at the center of theplatform 20, with a substantial portion of it protruding upwardtherefrom. Although the column 30 is shown to have the shape of aright-angle cylindrical shell in the preferred embodiment, it may havein another embodiment other geometrical shapes in which the upper end 30a and lower end 30 b may be squares, rectangles, or any other polygons,in which case, the aperture 21 at the center of the platform 20 isaccordingly shaped to receive the lower column end 30 b.

In the preferred embodiment, the plug 40 is generally shaped as amushroom, as shown in FIG. 3, having a round and convex upper portion 41sized to close the open upper end 30 a of the column 30 and acylindrical protrusion 42 attached therebelow. The protrusion 42 has alength such that its distal end 42 a may substantially reach the bottomof the column 30 when the plug 40 closes upon the column 30. To pick upmetallic desk items such as paperclips lying at the bottom of the column30, a permanent magnet is disposed, preferably, within a cavity formednear the distal end 42 a of the plug 40. But in another embodiment, thesame effect can be obtained by painting or coating the protrusion 42proximate its distal end 42 a with magnetic material. Such method andmaterial used are well known in the art.

The platform 20, the column 30, the plug 40, and the base 50 isfabricated of, preferably, plastics, ceramics, or polymericcompositions, but may be made of any rigid suitable material known tothose in the art, including but not limited to, wood, metal, cardboard,synthetic fibers, fiberglass, hardboard, or the like, by usingappropriate manufacturing or production methods such as casting,extruding, injection molding or other currently known means readilyrecognized by one skilled in the art.

Since the desktop organizer 10 would be more likely to attractattentions of the user and other viewers owing to its unique appearance,it can be an effective vehicle for advertisement. The unique design ofthe desktop organizer 10 in the present invention provides ample spacefor placing advertising material thereon. Since a substantial portion ofthe column 30 is exposed above the platform 20, the circumferential sidesurface 30 c thereof, which is of a substantial area, can be anexcellent place to place advertising material 60 as shown in FIGS. 1 and3-5. Such advertising material 60 may include, but not be limited to, alogo, trademark, advertisement, emblem, label, stamp, feature, brand,insignia, crest, token, seal, decal, pitch, announcement, slogan,monogram. Such indicia need not be limited to letters or words, but canbe also a photo, design, or other pictorial representation. As shown inFIG. 5, the advertising material 60 may be imprinted on a piece of paper61 attached to or removably wrapping around the side surface 30 c of thecolumn 30. A circular flange 31 may be formed around the upper end 30 aof the column 30 to keep the piece of paper in place. Further, forprotection of the advertising material 60 on the paper, a transparentsleeve 62 may removably sheathe the column 30 upon the advertisingmaterial 60. In another embodiment however, the advertising material 60may be imprinted directly upon the side surface 30 c of the column 30.Furthermore, the side surface 20 c of the platform 20 also can be usedto place another advertising material 60 thereon by, for example,imprinting as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3-5.

Although the column 30 is in the preferred embodiment a hollow shellwith an open top to be used as a container, it may have in anotherembodiment closed upper and lower ends so that it may serve merely as anadvertising tower upon which advertising material is disposed in variousways described above.

Accordingly, the present invention also includes a method of advertisingusing the desktop organizer made according to the invention. Such anadvertising method comprises the steps of providing a desktop organizermade according to the present invention, and disposing advertisingindicia on an external visible surface of the desktop organizer. Theterm “providing” is meant in a broad sense to include not onlymanufacturing but also acquiring from another source or selecting fromavailable supplies. The term “disposing” is meant broadly to encompassany means for physically putting the advertising indicia on the device'ssurface, including but not limited to, imprinting, engraving, adhering,etc. The “disposing” step could even include sub-steps such as (a)imprinting the first advertising material on a cylindrical piece ofpaper sized and configured to fit around the column; (b) disposing thepiece of paper around the column; and (c) sleeving a transparent shellover the piece of paper so that the first advertising material may bevisible therethrough.

The present invention is capable of embodiments other than thosedescribed above, and its several details are capable of modifications invarious respects apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, allwithout departing from the essential spirit or attributes of theinvention. Therefore, the embodiments described hereinbefore should beconsidered to be merely illustrative, not restrictive.

1. A desk organizer comprising: a) a platform for removably retaining a plurality of writing instruments therein, having substantially planar opposing top and bottom surfaces and a circumferential side surface extending therebetween, the top surface defining a plurality of spaced-apart receptacles thereon adjacent a circumferential edge thereof, each being sized and configured to removably retain a respective writing instrument therein in a substantially upright position; and b) a hollow column protruding perpendicularly upward from a central portion of the top surface of the platform for storing desk items therein, the column having an open upper column end and an opposing closed lower column end.
 2. The desk organizer in claim 1, further comprising a substantially flat base upon which the platform is rotatably mounted for unobstructed rotation relative thereto.
 3. The desk organizer in claim 1, further comprising a plug sized and configured to removably cover the open upper end of the column.
 4. The desk organizer in claim 3, wherein a portion of the plug is magnetized for attracting metallic items thereto.
 5. The desk organizer in claim 4, wherein the plug comprises: a) an elongated protrusion perpendicularly protruding from a central portion of a bottom surface of the plug, the protrusion having a length such that a distal end thereof substantially extends toward the lower column end when the plug is inserted into the hollow column; and b) a permanent magnet disposed adjacent the distal end of the protrusion.
 6. The desk organizer in claim 1, wherein the lower column end extends into an interior of the platform below the top surface thereof.
 7. The desk organizer in claim 1, wherein advertising material is disposed on an outer surface of the column.
 8. The desk organizer in claim 1, wherein advertising material is disposed on the side surface of the platform.
 9. The desk organizer in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of receptacles defines a substantially circular circumference on the top surface of the platform.
 10. The desk organizer in claim 1, wherein the receptacles are substantially equal-spaced from one another.
 11. The desk organizer in claim 1, further comprising paper clips retained in the hollow column.
 12. The desk organizer in claim 1, wherein the platform and the column have substantially cylindrical shapes.
 13. The desk organizer in claim 12, wherein the plurality of receptacles is concentrically located.
 14. The desk organizer in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of receptacles has a depth such that at least half of the writing instrument retained therein is exposed out of the each receptacle.
 15. The desk organizer in claim 1, wherein the number of the receptacles is at least six.
 16. A desk organizer comprising: a) a platform for removably retaining a plurality of writing instruments therein, having same sized, substantially planar and circular opposing top and bottom surfaces and a side surface extending between circumferential edges of the top and bottom surfaces, the top surface defining a plurality of spaced-apart receptacles thereon adjacent the circumferential edge thereof, each being sized and configured to removably retain a respective writing instrument therein in a substantially upright position; b) a substantially cylindrical column protruding perpendicularly upward from a central portion of the top surface of the platform, the column having an upper column end and an opposing lower column end; and c) first advertising material disposed on an outer surface of the column.
 17. The desk organizer in claim 16, further comprising a flat base upon which the platform is rotatably mounted so as to rotate unobstructively relative thereto.
 18. The desk organizer in claim 16, wherein the cylindrical column defines a cylindrical hollow extending between the upper and lower column ends for retaining desk items therein, the hollow being open at the upper column end and closed at the lower column end.
 19. The desk organizer in claim 18, further comprising a plug sized and configured to removably cover the upper end of the column.
 20. The desk organizer in claim 19, wherein the plug is magnetized so as to attract metallic items thereto.
 21. The desk organizer in claim 20, wherein the plug comprises: a) a cylindrical protrusion perpendicularly protruding from a central portion of a bottom surface of the plug, the protrusion having a length such that a distal end thereof substantially extends toward the lower column end when the plug is inserted into the column; and b) a permanent magnet disposed adjacent the distal end of the protrusion.
 22. The desk organizer in claim 16, wherein the lower column end extends into an interior of the platform below the top surface thereof.
 23. The desk organizer in claim 16, wherein the first advertising material is imprinted on the outer surface of the column.
 24. The desk organizer in claim 16, further comprising a transparent sleeve sized and configured to fit around the column wherein the first advertising material is imprinted on a cylindrical piece of paper disposed between the outer surface of the column and the transparent sleeve.
 25. The desk organizer in claim 16, further comprising second advertising material disposed on the side surface of the platform.
 26. The desk organizer in claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of receptacles has a substantially circular circumference on the top surface of the platform.
 27. The desk organizer in claim 26, wherein the receptacles are concentrically arranged and substantially equal-spaced from one another.
 28. The desk organizer in claim 16, further comprising paper clips retained in the column.
 29. The desk organizer in claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of receptacles has a depth such that at least half of the writing instrument retained therein is exposed out of the each receptacle.
 30. The desk organizer in claim 16, wherein the number of the receptacles is at least six.
 31. A method of advertising comprising the steps of: a) providing a desk organizer comprising: 1) a platform for removably retaining a plurality of writing instruments, having same sized, substantially planar and circular opposing top and bottom surfaces and a side surface extending between circumferential edges of the top and bottom surfaces, the top surface defining a plurality of spaced-apart receptacles thereon adjacent the circumferential edge thereof, each of being sized and configured to retain a respective writing instrument therein in a substantially upright position, 2) a cylindrical column protruding perpendicularly upward from a central portion of the top surface of the platform, the column having an upper column end and an opposing lower column end, and 3) a flat base upon which the platform is rotatably mounted so as to rotate unobstructively relative thereto; and b) disposing advertising material on a visible outer surface of the desk organizer.
 32. The method of advertising in claim 31, wherein the step of disposing advertising material comprises the step of imprinting first advertising material around an outer surface of the column.
 33. The method of advertising in claim 32, wherein the step of disposing advertising material further comprises the step of imprinting second advertising material around on the side surface of the platform.
 34. The method of advertising in claim 31, wherein the step of disposing advertising material comprises the steps of: p1 a) imprinting the first advertising material on a cylindrical piece of paper sized and configured to fit around the column; b) disposing the piece of paper around the column; and c) disposing a transparent shell over the piece of paper so that the first advertising material may be visible therethrough. 